The Trump administration is threatening to cut over $50 million in federal funding to Columbia University as part of an initiative to address antisemitic harassment on college campuses. This review will assess Columbia’s compliance with federal regulations concerning civil rights, amidst ongoing scrutiny of its handling of Jewish student safety. Columbia’s reliance on federal funds, including substantial research grants, places it at significant risk; its Irving Medical Center is a primary funding source. Columbia has indicated a willingness to collaborate with the administration. The situation has sparked debate among faculty regarding the implications of funding cuts on research and Jewish faculty.
The Trump administration is poised to withdraw tens of millions of dollars in federal funding from Columbia University, marking the institution as the first major target in its initiative to eliminate what it perceives as antisemitic harassment on college campuses.
A detailed assessment of Columbia University’s federal contracts and grants was revealed Monday evening, shortly after Linda McMahon received confirmation as the secretary of education in a party-line vote.
This review, spearheaded by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the General Services Administration, has already pinpointed $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia and the federal government that could face stop-work orders. The Health and Human Services department stated in a press release that this review is essential “given Columbia’s ongoing inaction amid persistent harassment of Jewish students.”
The stakes could be even higher: A federal task force will conduct an in-depth review of the “more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University to ensure compliance with federal regulations, including civil rights obligations,” the release indicated.
A considerable portion of this funding is channeled through Columbia’s Irving Medical Center, one of the largest academic medical centers nationwide. In announcing the review, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly appointed health secretary, emphasized in a statement that “antisemitism — akin to racism — represents a spiritual and moral disease that afflicts societies and results in fatalities comparable to the deadliest pandemics in history.”
According to its 2024 financial reports, over a quarter of Columbia’s $6.6 billion in annual operating revenue is derived from federal sources. Specifically, about $1.3 billion comes from federal research grants, the segment of revenue most immediately vulnerable to this review.
The National Institutes of Health allocates the largest amount of federal research funding to Columbia, granting $747 million in 2023, alongside an extra $206 million from various Health and Human Services programs.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Columbia acknowledged the announcement and expressed its eagerness “to continue collaborating with the new federal administration to combat antisemitism.”
The nation’s research universities may face a potential loss of billions in federal funding due to actions taken by the Trump administration. For instance, a newly implemented policy regarding overhead costs could significantly affect institutions relying on N.I.H. grants. This new policy caps the supplementary funds that institutions receive to cover overhead costs at 15 percent of the total grant amount, a considerable reduction from the 50 or 60 percent some universities currently obtain. (However, this reduction is presently on hold due to a court ruling.)
A communication from the Department of Education also threatens to withdraw federal funding from institutions that do not cease their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Columbia is further susceptible to pressure from the Trump administration due to its notable pro-Palestinian movement, which saw encampments spill across the university’s lawns last spring, contributing to similar protests nationwide. The Trump administration interprets many slogans voiced during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” as antisemitic.
“Columbia is uniquely identified in all three investigations — a troubling trifecta — leading us to the unwelcome conclusion that our alma mater will bear the consequences of whatever the Trump administration decides,” remarked the Stand Columbia Society, a collective of alumni analyzing Columbia’s financial liabilities in light of the Trump administration’s actions.
Last spring, numerous pro-Palestinian Columbia students were arrested following their participation in the encampments and the occupation of Hamilton Hall, a campus building. However, the disciplinary process remains ongoing for most of these cases, with no expulsions announced as of yet. A Columbia official, discussing student disciplinary issues off the record on Tuesday, stated that four students had already been suspended due to behavior related to Hamilton Hall and the encampments, with more decisions expected soon.
The potential loss of federal grant funding could be catastrophic, stated Gil Zussman, a professor of electrical engineering at Columbia, who has advocated for the university to take stronger measures to safeguard Jewish and Israeli students from protesters breaking regulations.
“This crisis presents an opportunity for Columbia leadership to implement swift changes to enhance and enforce university regulations, despite possible objections from a vocal minority of faculty, many of whom do not depend on federal funding for research,” Dr. Zussman remarked.
Dr. Brent Stockwell, chair of the biological sciences department, argued that threatening research funding was not the right approach for the Trump administration to combat antisemitism, particularly because the elimination of funding could result in job losses for many Jewish faculty members.
“They fail to realize that if they eliminate all the Jewish researchers who are at the forefront of innovative research, it will only make matters worse,” said Dr. Stockwell, who is Jewish. “It’s like adding insult to injury.”
On Monday, Representative Tim Walberg, the Republican chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, released a statement asserting, “For over a year, Columbia’s leaders have made both public and private assurances to Jewish students, faculty, and congressional members that the university would take necessary actions to address the rampant antisemitism present on Columbia’s campus. Columbia has failed to keep these commitments, which is unacceptable.”
On Tuesday morning, President Trump reiterated his stance regarding what he believes should be the repercussions for pro-Palestinian demonstrators who occupy a building and cause damage or harm.
“All Federal Funding will be STOPPED for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump proclaimed. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently deported. American students will face permanent expulsion or, depending on the offense, arrest. NO MASKS!”